Electrical connector device with locating means



July 6, 1965 HERR ETAL 3,193,735

ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR DEVICE WITH LOCATING MEANS Filed May 14, 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 F762 F767- 3 1 /65 F/G. 6

y 6, 1965 R. HERR ETAL 3,

ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR DEVICE WITH LOCATING MEANS Filed May 14, 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Wrzwrokf United States Patent 3,193,735 ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR DEVICE WIT LOCATING MEANS Robert Herr, Remscheid, Otto Ortlinghaus, Wermeiskirchen, Jiirgen Lernp, Heide, Wermelskirchen, and Adolf Ortlinghaus, Remscheid, Germany, assignors to Gebr. Ortlinghaus, Wermelskirchen, Rhineland, Germany, a firm Filed May 14, 1963, Ser. No. 292,507 Claims priority, applicaiosusgigrmany, June 18, 1962, 3 12 Claims. (Cl. 317-458) This invention relates to an electromagnetically controlled clutch such as a friction disk clutch having a magnet with a winding connectable with leads for the supply of electric current.

In a well known form of construction of electromagnetic clutches in which an electromagnet is used to engage and disengage the friction disks, the electromagnet is stationary and does not participate in the rotation of the clutch. Clutches of this kind are mass produced and they are suitable for a wide diversity of applictaions. The disposition of the space available in transmissions incorporating electromagnetic clutches tends to vary from case to case and it is desirable that the position of the leads for energising the windings of the electromagnet should be adaptable to the requirements of the particular case. It is also most desirable that the electrical connections of the winding of the electromagnet can be easily separated and reestablished for instance when existing equipment is due for checking, servicing and maintenance. It was hitherto the practice to connect the supply leads to the wires leading to the magnet winding by soldering or by means of clips. However, these methods are open to objection because the connections are often located in inaccessible positions and time is Wasted in separating and remarking them.

The object envisaged by the present invention is to construct an electromagnetically controlled clutch of the aforesaid kind in such a way that the electrical connections can be of standardised design and yet adapted to any existing circumstances. Another object of the invention is that the connections should be simple to undo and to reestablish.

The invention achieves these objects primarily by providing an electromagnetically controlled clutch such as a friction disk clutch which comprises a magnet with windings connectable to elect ic supply leads, a connector connected with said magnet turnably about an axis so as to be adjustable into different selectably orientated positions, contact elements contained in said connector and connected with said windings of said magnet, for cooperation with a push-in type plug or the like of the electric supply leads and cooperating locating means on said magnet and said connector engaging with each other in selectable positions of the connector on the magnet to secure the connector against rotation about said axis.

In the proposed form of construction the soldered or threaded connections hitherto employed are replaced by a push-in, plug and socket type connection. The connection can therefore be broken and reestablished with the greatest possible convenience. Moreover, since the proposed connector can be mounted on the magnet in selectable orientations, it can always be secured in such a way that the best advantage is taken of the space available and that accessibility and positioning of the leads are optimal. By virtue of the optional orientation of the connector the latter can be mounted, for instance, for the supply leads to be plugged in axially of the clutch or tangentially thereto, whichever may be the more desirable.

Two preferred embodiments of the invention will now 3,193,735 Patented July 6, 1965 be described by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. .1 is a fragmentary side elevational view, partly in section, of an electromagnetically controlled friction disk clutch lacking sliprings;

FIG. 2 is a schematic end view of the clutch shown in FIG. 1;

IG. 3 is a side View of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a top plan view thereof;

FIG. 5 is an end view of the clutch showing an alternative form of connector;

FIG. 6 is a side view of FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a top plan view thereof;

FIG. 8 is a side elevational view, on a larger scale, of the connector illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 4;

FIG. 9 is a section taken on the line IXIX in FIG. 8;

FIG. 10 is a section taken on the line XX in FIG. 8;

FIG. 11 is a top plan view of the connector illustrated in FIGS..8 to 10;

FIG. 12 is a view similar to FIG. 8 of the connector illustrated in FIGS. 5 to 7;

FIG. 13 is a section taken on the line XIIIXIII in FIG. 12;

FIG. 14 is a section taken on the line XIVXIV in FIG. 12, and

FIG. 15 is a top plan view of the connector illustrated in FIGS. 12 to 14.

The clutch shown in FIG. 1 comprises a shaft carryingan assembly of disks 21 and is intended, when required, to couple a gear wheel 24 mounted to rotate on antifriction bearings 22 about a shaft 23 with the shaft 20. In a conventional manner a non-rotating electromagnet 25 which carries windings 26 is associated with the multiple disk assembly 21. Afiixed to the outer periphery of the electromagnet 25 is a connector 27 which forms one member of a plug and socket joint for connecting the windings 26 with electric supply leads. As will be seen by reference to FIGS. 2 to 4,' the connector27 is secured to the electromagnet 25 by a fixing screw 28. A portion 29 to one side of the bore for the reception of thefixing screw projects from the underside of the connector 27. This can be seen in FIGS. 8 to 10. For cooperation with this projection four recesses 30 are provided in the corresponding bearing surface of the electromagnet. The projection 29 is insertable into any one of these recesses 39. .When its fixing screw is slackened the connector 27 can be rotated and after insertion of the projection 29 into the selected recess 30 the connector can be refixed in this fresh position by retightening the fixing screw 28.

The body of the connector 27 consists of insulating material and is of divided construction, comprising a base and a cap 36. These two parts abut in a plane parallel to the connector undeside 37. The base 35 and the cap 36 are madeof an insulating material such asplastics and in plan they are rectangular in shape. Extending from the underside 3'7 upwards into the material of the base are slots 38, 39 and 40 which together define a roughly U-shaped channel embracing a face 41 from which the said projection 29 juts out downwards. Perpendicularly to its underside 37 the base is traversed by a central bore 42 which has an upper portion 43 of greater diameter than the rest. Parallel shallow grooves 44 and 45 are recessed into the top of the base 35. These are parallel to the two slots 38 and 39 in the underside of the base. At one of their ends these shallow grooves communicate with a deeper recess 46 and at the other end with a cut-away opening 47. The base of each recess 46 communicates with the slot 38 and 39, respectively, through a hole 48. Parallel with the slot 40 on one side of the base 35 the latter is formed with a recessed continuous step 49. A pin-like projection 50 rises from each shallow groove 44 and 45. The pin diameter is less than the width of the groove.

The cap 36 has a central bore 55 which aligns with the central bore 42 in the base 35, and which axiaily traverses a collar-shaped extension 56 on the underside of the cap 36. The collar-shaped extension 56 fits into the upper portion 43 of the central bore 4-2 in the base 315. A flange or skirt 57 projects downwards from one edge of the underside of the cap 36 for cooperation with the recessed continuous step 39 in the base 35. The portions on the underside of the cap 36 which correspond to the recesses 46 are likewise recessed to form socket chambers 58. On the opposite side the cap 36 has two recesses d. Two holes 6% pass upwards through the cap for the reception of the pin-like projections 59 on the top of the base. The shallow grooves 44 and 4-5 in the top of the base contain contact elements 51 formed by blades 62 formed with offangled ends 63 which fit into the openings 47 in the base 35. Midway along its length each blade 62 has an opening for the passage therethrough of the associated pin-like projection 50 of the base. Portions 64 of the blades 62 which extend into the socket chambers 46, S8 serve for cooperation with push-in contact elements of the electric supply leads. The off-angled ends 53 form soldering lugs to which the wires leading to the windings 26 can be attached. These wires are accommodated inside the slots 58, 39 and it) in the connector base so that, irrespectively of the position in which the connector is secured to the electromagnet 25, the leads are always covered. The base 35 and the cap 36 are clamped together and affixed to the electromagnet when assembled by the aforesaid fixing screw 28.

The base in the embodiment shown in FIGS. 5 to 7 and 12 to 15 corresponds in detail to the base in the aforedescribed embodiment. However, instead of being formed with socket chambers 58 a cap "id in this alternative embodiment is provided with socket-like channels 71 surrounded by insulating wall portions normal to the base and these channels form the sockets for the reception of the push-in contact elements which are connected to the supply leads. Accordingly, contact elements 72 are roughly Z-shaped in this embodiment, their off-angled ends 63 and their middle portions 73 otherwise corresponding to the contact elements in the previous embodiment. Iowever, instead of having portions 64 extending parallel to the underside of the connector they are formed with up-angled extensions 74 which project freely into the channels 71. When such contact elements 72 are used in connection with this cap member '79 the connector is likewise angularly adiustable on the electromagnet 25. However, the contact elements in the plug end of the supply leads are pushed into the connector cap in a direction perpendicular to the connector underside. In order to provide protection for the up-angled extensions 74 of the contact elements 72 when fitted into standard base members 35, fillings 75 are inserted into the unused recesses 46, said fillings being formed with a downward extension 76 which fits into the hole 48 in the base member. The top of each filling 75 has a shallow recess 77 for the reception of the associated section of the contact element 72.

The portions 64 and 74 of the contact elements 61 and 72, respectively, which actually establish contact may be arranged to cooperate with contact elements of various kinds in the supply lead plugs, Particularly convenient are elements which embrace the portions 64 and 74 in the manner of a U, one of the faces of each portion 64 or 74 cooperating with inwardly folded lap edges of the cooperating connecting element. Alternatively, the contacting portions 64 or 74 in the described embodiments might be contrived for cooperation with blade or pin type plugs.

We claim:

ll. An electroma netically controlled clutch such as a friction disk clutch comprising a magnet with windings connectable to electric supply leads, a connector connected with said magnet turnably about an axis so as to be adjustable into different selectably orientated positions, contact elements arranged in said connector permanently insulated from each other, said contact elements being connected at one of the ends thereof with said windings of said magnet and arranged at the other ends thereof for cooperation with a push-in type plug or the like or" the electric supply leads, said other ends being located substantially in a plane not including said axis, and mating locating means acting to secure the connector against rotation about said axis being provided on the abutting surfaces of the magnet and the connector and engaging with each other in selectable positions of the conector on the magnet.

2. A clutch as claimed in claim ll, wherein a fixing screw is provided which passes through the connector perpendicularly to its underface.

3. A clutch as claimed in claim 2, wherein the locating means comprise an eccentric projection formed on the underside of the connector and a plurality of recesses in the magnet disposed on a circle about the axis of rotation of the connector and selectably receiving the eccentric projection for locating the connector in the desired position.

t. A clutch as claimed in claim 2t, wherein slots or grooves are formed in the underface of the connector for the reception of electric wires connecting the Contact elements with the windings of the magnet.

5. In combination with a stationary electrical device having a winding, a connector device including housing means of insulating material, and a pair of contact elements located in said housing means and having each one end connected to said winding and an opposite free end spaced from and permanently insulated by said housing means from the free end of the other of said pair of contact elements for cooperation with a push-in type plug of electrical supply leads; means securing said connector device to said electrical device turnably about an axis; a plurality of first locating means arranged angularly spaced from each other along a circle about said axis on one of said devices; and a second complementary locating means on the other of said devices and selectively engageable with any one of said plurality of first locating means for locating said connector device in a desired position turned about said axis relative to said electrical device.

6. In combination with a stationary electrical device having a winding having end portions extending beyond one end face of said device, a connector device including housing means of insulating material and having a surface abutting against said end face, and a pair of contact elements located in said housing means and having each one end connected to said end portions of said winding and an opposite free end spaced from and permanently insulated by said housing means from the free end of the other of said pair of contact elements for cooperation with a pushin type plug of electrical supply leads, said housing means being formed with a bore therethrough substantially normal to said surface; means extending through said bore for connecting said connector device to said electrical device turnably about the axis of said bore; a plurality of recesses arranged in said electrical device angularly spaced from each other along a circle about said axis; and a proectlon projecting from said surface parallel to and spaced from said axis and selectively engageable with any one of said plurality of recesses for locating said connector device in a desired position turned about said axis relative to said electrical device.

7. In combination with a stationary electrical device having a winding having end portions extending beyond one end face of said device, a connector device including housing means of insulating material and having a surface abutting against said end face, and a pair of contact elements located in said housing means and having each one end connected to said end portions of said winding and an opposite free end spaced from and permanently insulatcd by said housing means from the free end of the other of said pair of contact elements for cooperation with a push-in type plug of electrical supply leads, said housing means being formed with a bore therethrough substantially normal to said surface and with at least one elongated cutout extending from said surface into said housing means and said end portions of said winding being at least in part located in said cutout; means extending through said bore for connecting said connector device to said electrical device turnably about the axis of said bore; a plurality of recesses arranged in said electrical device angularly spaced from each other along a circle about said axis; and a projection projecting from said surface parallel to and spaced from said axis and selectively engageable with any one of said plurality of recesses for locating said connector device in a desired position turned about said axis relative to said electrical device.

8. In combination with a stationary electrical device having a winding having end portions extending beyond one end face of said device, a connector device including housing means of insulating material and having a surface abutting against said end face, and a pair of contact elements located in said housing means and having each one end connected to said end portions of said winding and an opposite free end for cooperation with a push-in type plug of electrical supply leads, said housing means being formed with a bore therethrough substantially normal to said surface, said housing means including a base member and a cap member meeting each other along a plane substantially parallel to said surface, one of said members being formed with a pair of grooves extending from said plane in said one member, said pair of contact elements being respectively located in and substantially filling said grooves, each of said contact elements being formed in a part thereof located in the respective groove with an opening therethrough, one of said members being formed with a projecting portion extending through said opening in said contact element and the other member being formed with a hole aligned with said projecting portion and said projecting portion extending with a free end thereof into said hole; means extending through said bore for connecting said connector device to said electrical device turnably about the axis of said bore; a plurality of recesses arranged in said electrical device angularly spaced from each other along a circle about said axis; and a projection projecting from said surface parallel to and spaced from said axis and selectively engageable with any one of said plurality of recesses for locating said connector device in a desired position turned about said axis relative to said electrical device.

9. The combination as set forth in claim 8 wherein said bore has in one of said members a portion of enlarged diameter extending from said plane into said one member, and the other member having a collar-shaped projection 6 extending into said enlarged bore portion of said one member.

1%). The combination as set forth in claim 8, wherein the one end of each contact element includes an angle with the remainder thereof, wherein an opening is formed in at least one of said members in the region of said one end of each contact element, and wherein recesses communicate with the grooves at the other end of the contact elements to form socket chambers for the reception of a push-in type plug.

11. The combination as set forth in claim 10, wherein a downwardly extending flange projects from one edge of the cap member in front of said opening.

12. In combination with a stationary electrical device having a winding having end portions extending beyond one end face of the device, a connector device including housing means mounted on said end face turnably about an axis, said housing means divided in a base member and a cap member meeting each other along a dividing plane parallel to the bottom face of said base member; contact elements detachably inserted between said members, said contact elements having opposite ends being connected at one of the ends thereof to said end portions of said winding and arranged at the other ends thereof for cooperation with a push-in type plug of electrical supply leads, said bottom face of said base member being formed with grooves for receiving electrical wires connecting the end portions of the winding with the one end of said contact elements; a fixing screw extending along said axis through said housing means for fastening said cap member to said base member and the latter to said end face; and mating locating means on said electrical device and on said housing means for securing the latter against rotation about said axis and including a projection formed on said bottom face of said base member positioned laterallyfrom said axis and a plurality of recesses in said end face arranged along a circle about said axis and selectively receiving said projection for locating the connector in a desired position.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,402,037 1/22 Armor 336-107 X 2,922,932 1/60 Glowacki et a1. 317-453 2,971,622 2/61 Jaeschke 19284 3,052,864 9/62 Gaynor 339-210 X 3,066,277 11/62 Edmunds 339-245 LARAMIE E. ASKIN, Primary Examiner.

E. JAMES SAX, Examiner. 

5. IN COMBINATION WITH A STATIONARY ELECTRICAL DEVICE HAVING A WINDING, A CONNECTOR DEVICE INCLUDING HOUSING MEANS OF INSULATING MATERIAL, AND A PAIR OF CONTACT ELEMENTS LOCATED IN SAID HOUSING MEANS AND HAVING EACH ONE END CONNECTED TO SAID WINDING AND AN OPPOSITE FREE END SPACED FROM AND PERMANENTLY INSULATED BY SAID HOUSING MEANS FROM THE FREE END OF THE OTHER OF SAID PAIR OF CONTACT ELEMENTS FOR COOPERATION WITH A PUSH-IN TYPE PLUG OF ELECTRICAL SUPPLY LEADS; MEANS SECURING SAID CONNECTOR DEVICE TO SAID ELECTRICAL DEVICE TURNABLY ABOUT AN AXIS; A PLURALITY OF FIRST LOCATING MEANS ARRANGED ANGULARLY SPACED FROM EACH OTHER ALONG A CIRCLE ABOUT SAID AXIS ONE OF SAID DEVICES; AND A SECOND COMPLEMENTARY LOCATING MEANS ON THE OTHER OF SAID DEVICES AND SELECTIVELY ENGAGEABLE WITH ANY ONE OF SAID PLURALITY OF FIRST LOCATING MEANS FOR LOCATING SAID CONNECTOR DEVICE IN A DESIRED POSITION TURNED ABOUT SAID AXIS RELATIVE TO SAID ELECTRICAL DEVICE. 